1953 to 2023 - 70 years of Packaging Excellence!
About Us - Cello-Wrap's History
Founded 1953
Cello-Wrap Printing was established in 1953 by James Whitaker in Farmersville TX. He established the business after returning home from WWII to supply printed cellophane hand wraps for peanut patties.
1956 - New 3 color Hudson Sharp flexo press
By 1956, Cello-Wrap makes local headlines with impressive growth. In the local paper, the first flexo printing press which was built at the Barnhardt machine shop in Greenville TX. The article centered on the growth of the local company, celebrating the installation of a new 3 color roll to roll flexo press from Hudson Sharp, a new slitter and a new paper core cutter.
1958 - Founding Charter Member
Cello Wrap is one of the few Charter Members still in operation. Back in 1958 when the Flexographic Technical Association first formed, Cello-Wrap had already been flexo printing for 5 years! We have been a proud member every year for 69 years.
1977 - Continued Growth
Collin County TX celebrates Cello-Wraps continued growth & 24 years as a local employer. In 1977, Cello Wrap installs yet another flexo printing press, this one a 4 color press which runs at 500 feet per minute, turning out reproductions faster than the eye can see! Plans underway to expand the building on Main Street are underway. A local business success story indeed!
1978 - 25th Anniversary
Cello-Wrap celebrates 25 years in business. Article says the company now produces over 500,000 lbs of printed cellophane and 200,000 lbs of plastic wrappers annually.
1981 - Cello-Wrap makes Headlines
Cello-Wrap makes the newspaper headlines yet again. Pictured here is Founder James Whitaker along with his son, Charlie Whitaker at the rewind of their Hudson Sharp 4 color roll to roll flexo press.
1984 - Cello-Wrap Big Expansion
Cello-Wrap celebrates 25 years in business. Article says the company now produces over 500,000 lbs of printed cellophane and 200,000 lbs of plastic wrappers annually.
1985 - Packaging Magazine
Back cover of Package Printing Magazine, features an add from Intermex Films with Cello-Wrap's Lead Flexo Technician inspecting printed film on their new CMF 6 color flexo press.
1987 - Packaging Magazine
On a roll with Package Printing Magazine, another ad from Intermex Films, this time featuring Charlie Whitaker, President of Cello-Wrap. Charlie retired in 2020 after 49 years with the company.
1992 - Package Printing & Converting
Cello-Wrap is featured in Package Printing & Converting. The article covers innovations in film packaging that Cello-Wrap is bringing to market with partner Mobile Films. Always being on the forefront of new technology, along with decades of customer focused service, is just but one of the reasons that Cello-Wrap has been a trusted packaging partner in the food packaging supply chain for nearly 70 years!
1995 Opened Laminating Operations
In 1995 Cello-Wrap purchased a second location just 1/2 a mile from their flexo printing operations. A new steel construction building plus 8.5 acres for future growth, the company embraces multi-substrate laminations.
2004 - Three Generations
Cello-Wraps original custom engineered and built fexo press. One of the first flexo printing presses in Texas. The original press has remained in the plant (but not in service). Pictured here is the original press, along with three generations of Whitakers. The press is now under restoration and will soon be on display in the companies newly renovated headquarters on Hamilton Street.
2008 acquires Nordmeccanica Solventless
Cello-Wrap continues to invest and grow within the Flexible Packaging market. A 60" Nordmeccanica solventless lamination line equipped with Enercon Treaters is installed in the Hamilton Street plant, adding additional jobs to the community of Farmersville Texas.
Deacro Slitting
Three new 60" Deacro Slitters are added to the Hamilton Street operation to add significant additional capacity.
2014 - installs 8 color press
In 2014 Cello-Wrap continues to grow with the installation of its fourth press in its Main Street location.
2014 - Cello-Wrap adds Ink Dispensing
In order to support 4 flexo presses, the group also installs a multi head ink dispenser and color matching system.
2020 - Re-Generation
At the age of 73, Charlie Whitaker turns over the daily operation to his tenured senior management team and after 50 years with the company his father built, enters his well deserved retirement. To ensure the legacy of the Whitaker family business lives on, Charlie brings in a new ownership team to lead the company for generations to come.
Multi-Site Service
Now with multiple locations in North America offering multi site contingency, Rotogravure & Flexo print options, paper coating & multiple converting lines, the company can look forward to another 69 years of Packaging Excellence!
2020 - Business Systems
In order to significantly improve the business, as well as establish the backbone for future growth and multi-site expansion, Cello-Wrap partnered with Wye Print for the installation of Microsoft's PrintVis / Dynamics 365 full cloud based ERP system. The fully integrated system allows complete management of the business from estimating, order entry, dynamic planning/scheduling, QA, shop floor data collection, bar code inventory management and real time management of the company's information.
2020 - Going Green
All of the lighting in the Hamilton Street production, warehouse and offices upgraded to the latest energy effcient LED lighting.
2020 / 2021 - Production Refinishing
As part of our commitment to food safety and cleanliness, over the 2020 Christmas Break the production floor was completely refinished with epoxy and new powder coated metal walls were installed.
2021 - Pouch Making
Stand up pouch line arrives at the docks in order to further enhance product offerings to our customers.
2022 - BRC
We are excited to announce that Cello-Wrap Packaging completed a rigorous 2-day GFSI audit on August 26, 2022, for Food Packaging. In recognition of our compliance to the BRC Certification Requirements, the Farmersville plant accomplished the highest AA grade status. Even more exciting is that the facility achieved a perfect score with zero non-conformances on our very first audit.
BIG NEWS FOR 2023 - Two 8 color presses
To further expand and enhance our product offering, the plant will be installing 2 eight color presses by the end of Q1 2023!